Nighttime Noise

Diet, exercise, family history – these are factors we all know about that influence our cardiac health. But did you know that noise can have an impact? A new study found results that seem to indicate that night-time noise, or noise you are exposed to while you are sleeping, can raise blood pressure. The study was part of a bigger study to examine the link between hypertension and exposure to high noise levels. Though researchers do not yet understand the specifics behind this link, they agree that reducing your risk for hypertension can’t hurt. High noise levels examined included living near an airport, regular exposure to traffic noise, and sleeping with a snorer. The risk of hypertension increased with the decibel level of the noise. Among men, daily exposure to traffic noise was associated with a 50% greater risk of hypertension.